AT least three senators have expressed intention to investigate the recent anti-drug operations by police in Bulacan and in some parts of Metro Manila that led to the killing of 74 people, including a 17-year-old Grade 11 student, this week.

Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino said he was planning to file a resolution next week to look into the death of a certain Kian Lloyd delos Santos, 17, during an anti-illegal drug operation in Caloocan City.

“I plan to file a resolution because the news reports are really worrisome,” said Aquino, referring to the manner in which de los Santos was killed. Police claimed that the boy fired at them several times, forcing them to retaliate.

However, CCTV footage from the barangay showed two policemen dragging the victim to the place where he was found dead.

Meanwhile, Sen. Grace Poe said: “We cannot solve one crime by committing another because it will just keep escalating,” said Sen. Grace Poe, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order.

“So, we’d like to see an impartial investigation not just in the Senate but also in our other institutions and we should all take active part in that and not take this for granted,” said Poe, vice chairman of the committee on public order.

Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara said the Senate needed to look into the recent spate of killings. “The body count is reaching alarming levels. We need to ensure that we are not creating killing machines.”

Policemen went on a rampage against drug suspects in Bulacan, and parts of Metro Manila, killing a combined total of 74 people – 32 in Bulacan, 25 in Manila, and 17 in Camanava (Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela) – in separate 24-hour “one-time, big-time operations” this week.

President Rodrigo Duterte himself lauded the police operations in Bulacan.